Personal Injury

If you or someone you love has suffered a catastrophic injury in Chicago - whether from a devastating car accident, a surgical error, or a dangerous property condition - you need more than a general practice attorney. You need a personal injury lawyer who understands the stakes when injuries are life-altering, who knows Cook County courtrooms, and who has the resources to fight for the full financial compensation you deserve. Cirignani, Heller & Harman represents seriously injured people across Chicago, and we don't collect legal fees unless we recover compensation for you.

Call CHH Law today for a free consultation on your personal injury case

Why Chicago Trusts Cirignani, Heller & Harman

  • Decades of experience litigating personal injury cases in Chicago and Cook County courts
  • A proven track record of substantial settlements and verdicts in catastrophic injury law - including traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, and wrongful death
  • Board-certified trial attorneys with professional recognition and legal awards for excellence in tort law
  • No fees unless we win - our contingency fees structure means you pay nothing upfront

Why Chicago Chooses CHH Law for Personal Injury Cases

Most personal injury cases involving catastrophic harm require far more than filling out paperwork and making a phone call. They demand extensive medical expertise, aggressive litigation strategy, and the willingness to take an insurance company to trial when it refuses to offer fair compensation. That is where CHH Law separates itself.
Catastrophic injury specialization

We focus on the most severe cases - those involving permanent disabilities, memory loss, broken bones, paralysis, and long-term medical treatment - where the difference between an average attorney and an exceptional one can mean millions of dollars in compensation.

Deep local knowledge

From Chicago's congested expressways and active construction zones to the premises liability risks in aging buildings across the South and West Sides, we understand the common causes of serious accidents in this city and how to prove negligence rooted in local conditions.

Top-tier expert network

We work with leading accident reconstruction specialists, life-care planners, vocational experts, and medical professionals who can establish injury severity, future medical expenses, and lost wages with precision that holds up at trial.

Maximizing every dollar

Personal injury damages can be categorized into economic and non-economic types. We build each case to recover damages across every available category - from medical bills and lost earnings to pain and suffering, emotional stress, and loss of enjoyment of life.

Our Personal Injury Law Services

Personal injury law allows individuals to seek compensation for harm caused by others - whether through a negligent act, an intentional act, or strict liability. Common types of personal injury cases include motor vehicle accidents and medical malpractice, but the field extends to premises liability, product liability, construction injuries, dog bites, and wrongful death. At CHH Law, we concentrate on cases where the injuries are severe and the stakes are highest.

Motor Vehicle Accident Cases

Automobile accidents are a common type of personal injury case in Chicago, and negligent driving on congested highways, in construction zones, and on city streets causes some of the most devastating injuries we see. Our personal injury attorneys handle car accident, truck, motorcycle, and pedestrian collision cases resulting in catastrophic harm - including traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord damage, and permanent disabilities.

We also take on complex multi-vehicle collisions and highway accidents. A recent Illinois verdict illustrates the scale of accountability possible: a quadriplegic plaintiff received a $104 million verdict against the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority after a construction-zone crash on I-90 near the Fox River Bridge, where failures in signage and design were central to the case. In such cases, personal injury lawyers gather evidence of injuries and medical expenses, reconstruct the accident, and negotiate with insurance companies for compensation - or take the fight to a jury.

Medical Malpractice Claims

Medical malpractice claims arise from healthcare professionals' negligence - surgical errors, misdiagnosis, delayed diagnosis, and treatment failures that cause severe or fatal harm. CHH Law handles hospital negligence, nursing home abuse, birth injuries, and pediatric medical malpractice throughout Chicago.

Illinois medical malpractice law carries unique procedural requirements, including a two-year discovery rule with a four-year statute of repose under 735 ILCS 5/13-212. Recent Cook County verdicts underscore the gravity of these cases: a jury awarded $51,015,445 against OSF Healthcare after a failure to test blood glucose caused anoxic brain injury, and a separate Illinois jury awarded $17.1 million to the family of an infant who died from catastrophic delivery injuries. To succeed in a personal injury case, the injured party must prove duty, breach, causation, and damages - and in malpractice, that burden demands specialized medical evidence and expert testimony.

Premises Liability Cases

Premises liability involves unsafe or defective property conditions - and in a city as old and densely built as Chicago, dangerous conditions are alarmingly common. We handle slip and fall accidents with serious injuries, construction site accidents, workplace injuries, building collapses, and structural failures.

Property owners and managers have a duty to maintain safe conditions. When a party acts negligently - failing to repair a broken staircase, ignoring a known hazard, or violating building codes - and an injured person suffers broken bones, spinal cord injuries, or worse, they can be held responsible. Dog bites affect an estimated 77 million households nationwide, and premises liability can extend to animal attacks on negligently maintained property as well.

How We Handle Your Personal Injury Case

From your first call to the resolution of your claim, CHH Law manages every phase of your personal injury lawsuit with the intensity that catastrophic cases demand. Personal injury lawyers prepare cases before filing lawsuits, and our process reflects that discipline.

Step 1: Free Case Evaluation and Investigation

We start with an immediate, no-cost assessment of your case - evaluating liability, the severity of your injury, and the potential compensation available. Early investigation is critical: we move to preserve evidence (accident scene documentation, vehicle damage, surveillance footage), take witness statements, and secure your medical records and accident reports. Medical records and accident reports are essential pieces of evidence in personal injury claims. This phase also includes expert consultation to identify the full scope of your injuries and the defendant's negligence.

Step 2: Building Your Case

Documentation is critical for proving claims in personal injury cases. We engage accident reconstruction specialists to clarify how and why the accident occurred, retain medical experts to establish injury severity and project future needs, and work with life-care planners and vocational experts to calculate the full extent of your damages. Standard economic damages include medical expenses, lost wages, and property damage. Non-economic damages may include pain and suffering and emotional distress. We build each category meticulously - because serious injuries receive the highest personal injury settlements only when every dollar of harm is documented and proven.

In Illinois, the modified comparative negligence system under 735 ILCS 5/2-1116 means that if a plaintiff is more than 50% at fault, they cannot recover. Comparative negligence laws may reduce compensation based on the injured party's fault in the incident, so we work aggressively to establish the other party's responsibility and minimize any fault attributed to you.

Step 3: Negotiation and Trial

Many personal injury claims can be settled or decided by a trial - and we prepare for both from day one. Lawyers negotiate with insurance companies for compensation, and we push aggressively for the maximum settlement. But when an insurance company refuses a fair offer - which happens frequently in catastrophic injury cases - we are fully prepared to go to trial. Our attorneys have the courtroom experience and resources to present your case to a Cook County jury, leveraging recent multimillion-dollar local verdicts to anchor settlement expectations and jury demands upward.

They help clients avoid pitfalls in personal injury claims - from premature settlements to missed deadlines - and provide ongoing support throughout your recovery and case resolution.

Case Results

Illinois juries have demonstrated a willingness to hold negligent parties accountable with substantial awards in catastrophic personal injury cases:

$ Million

BRAIN INJURY

$ Million

BRAIN INJURY

$ Million

BRAIN INJURY

$ Million

WRONGFUL DEATH

Compensation varies based on injury severity and recovery length. In Illinois, there is no statutory cap on non-economic damages in claims against private parties - landmark cases like Best v. Taylor Machine Works (1997) and Lebron v. Gottlieb Memorial Hospital (2010) struck down such caps as unconstitutional. Punitive damages are available in non-malpractice cases where the defendant's conduct is willful, wanton, or exhibits reckless indifference, though typically capped at three times economic damages.

Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Each case is unique.

Hear From Clients We've Helped

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They were compassionate and communicated openly through every step of the process. All of the CHH staff was a joy to work with.
Heather B.
Monee, IL
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They were compassionate and communicated openly through every step of the process. All of the CHH staff was a joy to work with.
Heather B.
Monee, IL
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They were compassionate and communicated openly through every step of the process. All of the CHH staff was a joy to work with.
Heather B.
Monee, IL
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They were compassionate and communicated openly through every step of the process. All of the CHH staff was a joy to work with.
Heather B.
Monee, IL
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They were compassionate and communicated openly through every step of the process. All of the CHH staff was a joy to work with.
Heather B.
Monee, IL
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They were compassionate and communicated openly through every step of the process. All of the CHH staff was a joy to work with.
Heather B.
Monee, IL
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
They were compassionate and communicated openly through every step of the process. All of the CHH staff was a joy to work with.
Heather B.
Monee, IL
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They were compassionate and communicated openly through every step of the process. All of the CHH staff was a joy to work with.
Heather B.
Monee, IL
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
They were compassionate and communicated openly through every step of the process. All of the CHH staff was a joy to work with.
Heather B.
Monee, IL
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
They were compassionate and communicated openly through every step of the process. All of the CHH staff was a joy to work with.
Heather B.
Monee, IL
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
They were compassionate and communicated openly through every step of the process. All of the CHH staff was a joy to work with.
Heather B.
Monee, IL
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
They were compassionate and communicated openly through every step of the process. All of the CHH staff was a joy to work with.
Heather B.
Monee, IL
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
They were compassionate and communicated openly through every step of the process. All of the CHH staff was a joy to work with.
Heather B.
Monee, IL
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
They were compassionate and communicated openly through every step of the process. All of the CHH staff was a joy to work with.
Heather B.
Monee, IL
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
They were compassionate and communicated openly through every step of the process. All of the CHH staff was a joy to work with.
Heather B.
Monee, IL
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
They were compassionate and communicated openly through every step of the process. All of the CHH staff was a joy to work with.
Heather B.
Monee, IL

Frequently Asked Questions

CHH Law works on contingency fees - meaning you pay no legal fees unless we win your case. We advance the costs of investigation, expert witnesses, and litigation. If we do not recover compensation for you, you owe us nothing for attorney's fees. In most personal injury cases, this structure allows seriously injured people to access top-tier legal representation regardless of their current financial circumstances.

Personal injury claims often require timely filing due to statutes of limitations. In Illinois, the general statute of limitations for a personal injury lawsuit is two years from the date of injury under 735 ILCS 5/13-202. Medical malpractice claims follow a two-year discovery rule with a four-year statute of repose. Claims against government entities - including the City of Chicago, CTA, or other public bodies - carry even shorter deadlines, often requiring written notice within months and filing suit within one year under the Tort Immunity Act (745 ILCS 10/8-101). Missing these deadlines can permanently bar your claim regardless of its merit. While some states differ - for instance, North Carolina's statute of limitations for personal injury is three years - Illinois deadlines are strict, and acting quickly is essential.

Personal injury damages can be categorized into economic and non-economic types. Damages can also be categorized as special or general. Special damages include measurable costs like medical expenses, lost wages, rehabilitation, prescription costs, property damage, and loss of future earning capacity. General damages cover pain, suffering, mental anguish, emotional distress, disfigurement, and loss of enjoyment of life. Wrongful death damages compensate families for lost loved ones. Injuries covered under personal injury law can include physical, mental, or reputational harm. Negligence can lead to compensation for economic and non-economic damages, and in certain egregious circumstances, punitive damages may also be available to punish a defendant's reckless conduct.

Almost never without consulting a personal injury attorney first. Initial settlement offers from an insurance company are typically calculated to minimize the insurer's exposure - not to reflect the true value of your injury, future medical treatment, or long-term lost wages. This is especially dangerous in catastrophic injury cases where the full extent of harm - including future surgeries, adaptive equipment, and permanent disability - may not be apparent for months or years. Once you accept a settlement, you waive the right to seek additional compensation. CHH Law evaluates every offer against the full scope of your damages before advising you on whether to accept, counter, or proceed toward trial.

Every day you wait after a serious injury is a day evidence degrades, witnesses' memories fade, and filing deadlines grow closer. If you have been injured by another person's negligence in Chicago, contact Cirignani, Heller & Harman now for a free, no-obligation case evaluation. Personal injury lawsuits begin by filing a complaint with a court - and we handle every step from that first conversation forward.

You deserve a personal injury lawyer who will fight for every dollar of compensation the law allows. We don't settle for less, and neither should you.

Consult With Experienced Medical Malpractice Lawyers

If you or a loved one are a victim of an injury, and you wonder if doctor or hospital error may have been one of the causes, you may have a medical malpractice claim. The qualified Chicago medical malpractice attorneys at Cirignani, Heller & Harman, LLP, have successfully litigated thousands of injury claims and obtained substantial awards for victims of medical malpractice in the Greater Chicago area. We have board-certified physicians and medically-trained attorneys ready to review your claim and help you or your loved one seek justice.

Fill out the form for your free case review. You could be entitled to compensation. There is no fee unless we win.

Cirignani, Heller & Harman, LLP

150 S Wacker Dr Suite 2550,
Chicago, IL 60606
(312) 346-8700
At Cirignani, Heller & Harman, LLP, we represent injured clients in Chicago, Aurora, Naperville, Joliet, and throught Cook County — including Cicero, Elgin, Schaumburg, Oak Park, Maywood, Berwyn, Elmhurst, Evanston, Skokie, Des Plaines, Mount Prospect, Arlington Heights, Palatine, and Hoffman Estates as — well as DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, Will, and Winnebago Counties. Whether you've been harmed by medical negligence or a catastrophic accident, CHH Law is ready to help.
At Cirignani, Heller & Harman, LLP, we represent injured clients in Chicago, Aurora, Naperville, Joliet, and throught Cook County — including Cicero, Elgin, Schaumburg, Oak Park, Maywood, Berwyn, Elmhurst, Evanston, Skokie, Des Plaines, Mount Prospect, Arlington Heights, Palatine, and Hoffman Estates as — well as DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, Will, and Winnebago Counties. Whether you've been harmed by medical negligence or a catastrophic accident, CHH Law is ready to help.

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